Life of Pie: Bible Lessons
by BrilliantDarkness
Summary: A hat blown by the wind leads to Bible lessons...and love.


He allowed the flavors to wash over his tongue and delighted in every sensation. The firmness of the fruit, the flakiness of the crust, the sweet, the slight spice of the cinnamon, the juice that tried to escape his mouth.

"Well?"

Her voice moved through him as it always did bringing to mind spring breezes and birdsong.

He furrowed his brow as if in deliberation.

"Hm…I tell you, Tempe, I have had a lot of peach pie in my days and this is, without a doubt, the finest peach pie I have ever tasted. A peach pie like this might drive a man to propose marriage."

Jimmy purposefully avoided looking at her eyes. He knew they would be sparkling with emotion, maybe even joy and he would have loved to have seen that. But he wasn't sure what else he might see with his sudden talk of marriage.

"You really like it?" she asked as he hefted another forkful of the heavenly pastry to his lips.

Jimmy allowed his eyes to fall closed as he groaned his approval. He felt a little of the juice dripping down from the corner of his mouth but he paid it no mind. It was just too delicious.

"I wouldn't lie to you, Tempe," he said, eyes still closed, once he'd swallowed enough to allow speech. "This pie…why it's like a little slice of heaven. It really is. This must be what-"

His words cut off as he felt…what was that he felt?

He opened his eyes when he felt it again. It felt like…it was…she was licking the juice from his face. Jimmy jumped back quickly.

"What? What are you doing, Tempe?"

"I…I don't…I mean…well, you were…and it looked and I just…I'm sorry."

She sank back on her heels on the blanket where they had just had a lovely picnic. Jimmy studied her as she fidgeted with the lace on her dress. He could see her embarrassment but frankly, he was excited by what she had done.

"Tempe," he began but stopped when her deep blue eyes lifted to meet his.

"What you must think of me…I didn't even think…"

Behind the embarrassment at what she surely felt was far too brazen an action, was something else…desire. Desire he felt too. He rocked forward and saw her tense as her eyes tried to decide if she should be frightened.

Gently he placed a hand behind her head and lowered his own to her. Lightly, at first, he pressed his lips to hers. They were soft and tender and he heard her breath come more quickly. Slowly he deepened the kiss, moving his mouth over hers. His free hand stroked up and down her arm causing a small gasp from her. He took full advantage of her slightly parted lips and plunged his tongue into her mouth. Ravenously he explored her mouth as his hand held fast to the back of her head, holding her to him. He moved his arms to encircle her and hold her tight to him. Her corset bound bosom strained to breath and he could feel her pulse rapid and strong against his chest.

In time he pulled away from her, leaving his arms lightly around her shoulders. It wasn't the first time he had kissed her but it was the first time he had kissed her like that. To think this all began with a windblown hat and bible lessons.

* * *

He hadn't thought twice about rescuing the hat on the boardwalk or searching for its owner. And he wasn't prepared for the way his heart stopped and the entire world around him stilled at seeing her eyes, as endless as the midnight sky, staring back at him as she mustered her thanks to him.

Jimmy hated being dragged to church with Emma but now that the result was sitting on the porch swing, with Rev. Nelson's lovely daughter Temperance—under the guise of being tutored on spiritual matters—he thought it was a worthwhile sacrifice. She was speaking and he pulled his attention from her graceful neck he could see peeking through her curls the color of corn silk.

"I thought this place would be the worst place Father could have made me come. Certainly there would be nothing interesting. But it is interesting. It is beautiful. But there's a danger to the land and even the people in it…and I think the danger of this place is part of its beauty. I feel as though I have to earn the right to gaze upon it, to be counted among its people."

As she spoke she absentmindedly rested her hand next to him. So close…so close he couldn't stop himself from grabbing her hand. She looked at him shocked.

"I should've warned you," he growled with a twinkle in his eye and a smirk turning the corners of his mouth. "I'm fast—you won't find anyone faster than me."

"Oh my," Tempe responded as she fanned herself with the hand he wasn't holding tightly.

Of course, he hadn't moved quickly on her for the most part. But then there was the first time he had kissed her. He was helping her onto the buckboard so that Emma could drive her home. She had risen onto her toes to kiss his cheek and he had deliberately turned his head to connect with her perfect rosy lips. She had looked startled for a moment before she smiled and pressed her lips lightly to his once more.

* * *

Jimmy now sat staring at Tempe. Her chest rose and fell beneath her modest blue blouse with the exertion of trying to regulate her breathing and her lips were red and swollen from the force of his kiss.

Moving one hand from her shoulder, Jimmy stroked a finger along one cheekbone. Her eyes fell closed with the contact and he smiled. How quickly she had turned his life around, how completely she had changed everything.

In time she opened her eyes and seemed to reclaim her faculties.

"I've behaved terribly today," she said grasping desperately at the convention that was expected of her.

"Do you feel terrible?"

A blush rose to tint the alabaster of her cheeks as she shook her head.

"I know you weren't serious about marrying me…I supposed I allowed myself to get caught up…in…"

"How do you know that?" Jimmy asked simply.

"What?"

"That I'm not serious about marrying you. Seems a man who asks a young lady's father for permission to court her is about as serious as can be."

"You asked my father?" she asked in wonder and then put on the act of an indignant woman. There was his playful and sometimes even silly Tempe. "I mean, when were you going to speak with me about this? Shouldn't I have some say?"

"I had planned to ask you today," Jimmy replied with a small smile. "He asked me first. I had to tell him the truth."

"What did he say?"

"He said he'd think about it. Doesn't matter though. Only thing I care about is what you say."

"But he could say no."

"He could…and as long as you say yes, I won't care," Jimmy told her. "This ain't a land of people who give up. I ain't going to give up anything I want without a fight. I just won't."

"And you want me?"

"Yeah…want…need…love."

The word hung heavy in the air between them.

"Love?" she squeaked.

He nodded solemnly.

"Love. I love you Temperance Nelson, my sweet Tempe."

"I love you too," she said, her voice barely more than a whisper. "So ask me."

His brow furrowed.

"You were going to anyway, right?"

Realization dawned on him and he smiled wide at her.

"I ain't good with words…not like you or your father. But I do love you. I will love you. Always. I'd like to court you. And I'd like to marry you. And I'd like you to be mine always. The only person who could stand in the way of that is you. Or you could make me the happiest man in the world. Just a word, Tempe. Yes or no."

"Yes," she breathed as her fingers drifted softly over the contours of his face. "Yes…I will be yours forever, Jimmy."

Jimmy sat there stunned wondering if he had heard her right, if the whisper in her voice had somehow tricked him into hearing what he wanted. But then her lips were warm and open on his, her fingers tangling into his long hair, her tongue exploring tentatively, almost innocently.

She had said yes. She was his Tempe and would always be his Tempe. His arms wound around her as he returned the kiss.

* * *

**And yet another slice of pie...juicy peach pie...I thought Tempe was cute. And who could really blame her for licking the juice off of his face? I mean a handsome man...sweet, succulent peach juice...why, she was just powerless...**

**Still more pie to come people! Four more pie stories...maybe five...been contemplating something...not sure though...have to think some more. Anyway, please let me know what you think...of Jimmy, of Tempe...heck, what is your stance on peach pie? hehhee...**

**Oh! Like most of you know I am a huge Josh Brolin fan...he's my movie star boyfriend, you know! anyway, he filmed a movie that's due out near Christmas I believe...It's called Labor Day. Anyway...if you like Josh, or pie, or a good book, check the book out from your library! It's by Joyce Maynard. Specifically read (and reread, over and over) the part where Frank (Josh's character) teaches them to make peach pie! Oh the vapors! I got the vapors! So yeah...until next time...love you all!-J**


End file.
